Whats Up Dipes?

While enduring all the pregnancy discomforts and preterm labour scares, I have been stocking up on diapers for the little one on the way. And I must say there is no therapy better than online retail therapy, but I think you already know that, don't know?

So what have I got for the newborn stage? I decided to go for different types of cloth diapers this time round, such as extended tab prefolds, countoured diapers and fitteds. This is definitely a new frontier, road not taken, and new horizon for me, but I am anticipating it would be fun to have something different with the whole cloth diaper system.

With numerous WAHM mamas making diapers, I had no hard time choosing, the possibilities are rather huge out there! Earlier on I was kind of hell-bent on not getting sized diapers for the newborn due to it not being economical and all, but after seeing the lovely items in the WAHM stores, how is a girl to say NO? Plus, I know my newborn will thank me for it!

Firstly, I have got 2 Small sized Extended Tab Prefolds (ETP, don't I love it when CD-ing gets all technical) from Maybel's Closet.



Next, I got a complimentary newborn sized countoured diaper tester (left) from Annie Chan of Crystal Princess Cottage, and one minky newborn fitted diaper. Now, if you get seduced by the minkyness of the minky diaper, don't blame me.



The all so economical and frugal me, made sure that I got some OS pockets as well. I bought these babyland diapers at a steal, and since its a rather small cutting, it is said that it fits a newborn well at the S setting.


Surely these are not sufficient for the newborn frequent poo and pee, I have traditional lampins and covers as backup. And for my rest and sanity during the confinement, I also plan to get disposable diapers for the first week or two. Sorry environment, I will make it up later.

On the other hand, I didn't have to buy most of the baby essentials for the newcomer as yet because we have got most of the items in excellent used conditions. I am feeling rather proud for having made good buys earlier on so that we can save, and instead spend on cloth diapers (I can hear hubby laughing at my statement). Plus, we still have a number of brand new clothes, still unwashed and unworn, some even still in gift packs, to use. It would also be a rather deja vu moment seeing the newborn wearing Sanju's clothes, bring us back to good old times when Sanju was a good behaved baby, unlike the obnoxious One he is now.

And oh, while shopping, I 'accidently' bought one Itti Bitti for Sanju from a recent group buy. I just love the colour!

In the meantime, there is this sudden fitted craze in the group buys in Facebook, so I have got some on the way too, local and Ozzie made as well. I suppose they would be perfect for my newborn later. Let him be the pioneer in using fitteds (in my house at least).

So You Think You Can Eat?

The title is inspired from this morning's discussion on FlyFM and FOOD... yes, I think I can eat and be legally fat and bloated! In fact I have a lot of people always commenting I am looking thin (despite the 10kg I put on in the last 6 months) and telling me to eat more and more. Why not, I don't mind even a drop. It is another thing that you will catch me complaining on not losing the baby fat later *touchwood*.

Like my first pregnancy, I don't really have any particular cravings but I am just enjoying all my favourite foods a little more. Hubby makes sure I get my weekly dose of Roti Bom from our favourite restaurant, and lets me have most of the sweet and yummy desserts. Thanks to mom, I have like 'a laddu a day' stock in the fridge for 1 week too!

Now the weird part about this pregnancy is my preference and love in smelling. Imagine getting into the car in the evening, and turning on the aircon. There is the heat smell that I love to savour for the few seconds before the air con starts coming in. And how about the smell of burnt or short circuit, I get it quite often along the corridor of my plant daily and I simple love taking the walk slowly to have the smell linger longer. Petrol and wet paint smell is something I never minded before, but now I love it even more. Also, I love to smell the after wash smell of laundry, it has this slight detergent sting that I enjoy even for a few seconds. Don't call me weird... I am legally weird.

Going back to something more normal, here is something that greeted me at the mail (reception) this morning. My winning Spiceberry Snuggbaby cloth diaper that I won during the recent mini giveaway. Right now I am loving the colour, its my favourite purple, and it comes with 1 microfiber & 1 hemp insert! I shall review it soon once I get it tested on Sanju's cute bum-bum.

Week 20, here I come!

I am way past the 1st torturous trimester of nausea and morning (evening, all-day) sickness. It is enough that brushing my teeth early in the morning makes me gag and want to puke, the rest of the day goes with this yucky taste in the mouth that makes me want to eat and eat to get the taste away. That is why I ate frequently during the 1st trimester, in comparison to now.

There was also frequent backaches and feet cramps by the end of the day, but I got rewarded with some TLC and very nice feet massages before bedtime.

Compared to all that, the 2nd trimester is almost like a honeymoon. Less, if not none, backaches, and feet is behaving very well, or maybe it is just due to the new pair of hush puppies I got hubby to buy for me. Either way, both works fine for me. But I miss those feet massage I was getting earlier!

On the downside, I think I am overloaded with preggy hormones that is causing me to be super emotional and I can weep at the drop of a hat. I know I should be avoiding reading or seeing depressing stuff, but sometimes it is just there when you least expect it. And sometimes I am just too curious to know what/why/how. I remember one incident in 2009 when I was expecting Sanju, it was 6th or 7th month when I was reading Marian Keyes' 'Anyone out there', and when I came to the part of a huge revelation of the deceased husband, I started sobbing like nothing, shouted out to call hubby who was watching tv downstairs. It all just felt like it was so real and I was living the character. Spooky stuff, I know... motherhood/pregnancy turns you into things you never imagine you would be!

Braxton Hicks is also in town, didn't know it was possible to have it so soon, but apparently it is normal. This is definitely kicking in earlier that my first pregnancy with Sanju.

Just in this last 2 weeks I started embracing back my maternity clothes. It was just too soon to start wearing them in the earlier stages of 1st trimester. Of course baby bump is there, but with the high cut tops these days, you can pretty much hide it. Only now baby bump is beginning to look more than a bump, but somehow I am still reluctant to start wearing those maternity stuff to work. Its not like I am in denial, but I feel it is too soon... now into the 20th week, I think I have to give myself a kick and allow me to embrace it.. or should I?

The Fat Momma and Baby Flannel Wipes

I am a fat mama alright. Going into week 15 now and have successfully put on 4-5kgs. The good news is, my baby bump is not showing yet, unless you see me before bedtime all stuffed with nice dinner and cow's milk. The bad news is, I am growing, sideways!

People seeing me daily might be thinking I am putting on weight like no tomorrow. And the person in the next cube must be noticing how super-duper hungry and greedy I am all the time, and I eat like almost all the time. He might be thinking I am just one hungry woman. Truth is I am not hungry (yeah rite), but just want to make sure I dont starve myself, and my little one in me. I could do with skipping whole meal those days, now even 2 hours before some snack is impossible.

Whatever it is, I guess I am going to have my own gala time eating while it lasts, but this weight better better come off once it is all over, otherwise... I will miss all my clothes!

Speaking of gala time, it is yet another happy time for shopping. I kicked off the newborn shopping with a recent WAHM-made baby flannel cloth wipes. I got them from Maybel's Closet, she even does pretty diapers! They come in very cute colours and prints. I can see Sanju getting jealous already, but hey, big brother will get to share the new wipes with his baby sibling later.
Picture from Maybel's Closet blog shop.

12 Weeks and Counting...

If you are thinking what I think you are thinking, yes, you are right. I am now at 12 weeks and counting down to the 40th week to welcome my second baby. It was on the new year's eve that we received this wonderful news on the new addition to the family. This means Sanju will get a sibling he can play with (and bully), because at the moment he's been hanging out with adults only, and most of the things he does is very much imitating adults rather than kiddy stuff.

It is officially the time for no-guilt-eating, for me as well as hubby. The first trimester has been relatively better than my first pregnancy. Minimal nausea, but I am forever hungry for something spicy or cold. I am feeling and looking fat, and feel sleepy and fatigued beyond imagination, and have got totally no mood or motivation for work at all, wait, is that even a morning sickness? Back pain has started a little too early, I guess I am not 2 years younger as before. But it is also the official time for some nice foot and back massage after a hard day at work.

It feels great to enjoy the perks of being pregnant once again, at the same time, I am not looking forward to the labour and delivery. For now, I am going to be busy planning and preparing for the arrival (read: Shopping, shopping and shopping!). Happy Valentine's day all!

Confinement Miseries And Irony

Something on Facebook today brought me back to my confinement memories. Confinement is pretty much misery for all new moms. First of all you are already suffering from post partum recovery and whatnot. And then, for Asians, we have this strict diet and massage regime that makes it worse. You are required to be all covered top to bottom, and sweat your heart out. And to add fire to the heat, our diet is consist of food that encourages more heat and sweating.

Mom was quite particular about me not getting my hands and feet wet, about always wearing socks and long sleeves, about being coop-ed up in the room. The rebel in me, went against all of this. I washed my hair on 3rd day and even did some handwashing of baby's nappies and my poor mom, gave up, then again, I am sure she is secretly hoping that my kid would give me the same hell I always give her.

Everyone has baby blues during this period. Sometimes it is the feeling of incompetence or overwhelmed of being a new parent, worry of not being able to provide the baby. It does not help that this is also the time when babies have weird sleeping patterns, either stay awake the whole night, or wake up every 2-3 hours for feeding (and crying their lungs out). Or sometimes it is just the result of being confined. There would be times where we feel happy, and just the next moment we would be down, for no apparent reason. At times like this, it is important to talk and share your feelings with your spouse, mother or a friend.

Back to bad-mouthing confinement, to add more fire to the all sweaty heat, we, the mothers have to struggle with weight loss during confinement. Which is not easy for most of us. I had put on like 18 heavy kilograms during my pregnancy, and my weight after delivery was a whopping 60kg, which means 10kg more to my normal weight. Desperately looking out for some tummy tuck, I went out shopping for corset during my confinement. Ironically, most of the corset sizes that I found in Jusco were of size M and L that did not fit a 60kg lady. Pray, why? Someone of smaller size would not be looking for a tummy tuck, would she? Irony of all ironies...